Bojangles’ has named a former Spartanburg restaurateur interim president for the president/CEO who resigning due to personal reasons.
Clifton Rutledge has resigned due to personal reasons, the company said, and board director James “Randy” Kibler will fill the role on an interim basis.
Kibler, has served as a Bojangles’ director since August 2011 and was a director and non-executive chairman from 2014 to 2016. He served as president, CEO and director of Bojangles’ Restaurants Inc., a company subsidiary, from 2007 to 2014. Prior to Bojangles’, Kibler was president of Kibler-Mitchell Enterprises Inc., a restaurant company in Spartanburg.
“After 40 years in the restaurant industry, including four-plus years as president and CEO of Bojangles’, I have decided it’s time to step down and take some time to enjoy my family,” Rutledge said in a statement.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based parent to the Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits chain said it had begun a search for a permanent president and CEO.
Bojangles’ named Rutledge CEO in January 2014. He had previously served as COO of Whataburger, and he succeeded Kibler in the role.
“We appreciate Randy stepping into these roles on a temporary basis,” said William Kussell, a Bojangles’ director and non-executive chairman, in a statement. “The board is fully confident in his ability to lead the Bojangles’ team until we can complete the process of identifying a suitable replacement.”
Kussell added that Kibler had an understanding of Bojangles’ operations from his prior positions.